Hypselodoris bullockii? and H. apolegma mating

April 29, 2008
From: Teresa (Zubi) Zuberbühler


Dear Bill Rudman

As you mention in your message #6816, I also find, that the difference between Hypselodoris bullocki and Hypselodoris apolegma isn't so clear.
I send you 3 photos of special color forms of these species.

Two of the photos show H. apolegma (pink with broad white margin) and a color form that is called Hypselodoris sp.5 in Debelius/Kuiter's new Nudibranch book. As you can see they are mating, so they should be the same species.

The third photo shows a nudibranch which I think is a mixture of the two species. The front is bluish with a wider margin (like Hypselodoris apolegma), the rest of the body is typical H. bullocki.

Locality: Lembeh, 15-20m, Sulawesi, Indonesia, Pacific, 10. Juli 2007 and 29. Juli 2003, sand. Length: 5cm. Photographer: Teresa (Zubi) Zuberbühler.

Have these two species been compared (DNA)?

Teresa (Zubi) Zuberbühler
www.starfish.ch

webmaster@starfish.ch

Teresa Zuberbühler, 2008 (Apr 29) Hypselodoris bullockii? and H. apolegma mating. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20968

Dear Teresa,

Thanks for this interesting observation. 'Hypselodoris apolegma' seems to be a particularly incompetent species as we now have two rather spectacular mating mismatches. You have mentioned the earlier one [##6816] where I have discussed my feelings about the various colour forms of H. bullocki, and this is a second very interesting example. I thought I already had photos of this red-spotted form from Western Australia on the Forum but apparently not. Over the many years I have been studying these animals I have accumulated a number of 'puzzles' like this red-spotted one, which in external shape and internal anatomy is inseparable from specimens of the H. bullocki group. Your observation certainly confirms the close relationship between these various colour 'forms' which I hesitate to accept as species. I am not sure whethre recent DNA research has dealt with this 'H. bullockigroup'.

I wouls very much appreciate a higher resolution of the sponge the mating pair are on. I am pretty sure it is a dysideid, but I can't tell whether it is the usual Euryspongia sp. that H. bullocki and H. apolegma both feed on.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Apr 29). Comment on Hypselodoris bullockii? and H. apolegma mating by Teresa (Zubi) Zuberbühler. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20968

Factsheet

Hypselodoris apolegma

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